The Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued final air and water permits for a new coal plant in Middle Georgia Thursday.

The 850-megawatt plant in Washington County is the project of Power4Georgians, a small group of electric cooperatives led by Marietta-based Cobb EMC.

Spokesman Dean Alford said the final permit called the permit "among the very best, if not the best, in the country."

The project has drawn strong opposition from environmental groups.

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Passengers wait to check in or drop off luggage at the Frontier Airlines counter around lunchtime Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. More than 100,000 travelers were expected to fly out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday. (Maya T. Prabhu/AJC)

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